Intelligence shared by the United States, including what US media described as key inputs from the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), helped Mexican forces locate and kill Mexico’s most wanted cartel leader, Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes, triggering coordinated retaliation across several cities.
Notably, Mexico’s top defence official has also publicly confirmed American assistance.
Meanwhile, fresh violence erupted in the wake of the operation. Highways were blocked, vehicles torched, and dozens killed in what authorities described as organised reprisal by cartel gunmen.
Who was El Mencho? Inside Mexico’s most wanted drug lord
US intelligence confirmed, CIA role reported
General Ricardo Trevilla Trejo, Mexico’s Secretary of National Defence, confirmed at a news conference on Monday that the US gave information that enabled Mexican forces to pinpoint the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) leader’s location.
The New York Times first reported that the CIA supplied crucial intelligence on the whereabouts of Oseguera, citing a US official and others familiar with the operation. The Washington Post, citing a person with knowledge of the matter, reported: “It was CIA intelligence that made this happen.”
Oseguera was killed on Sunday in a Mexican military operation. Trevilla said eight cartel members were also killed.
Cartel retaliation: 85 roadblocks, dozens dead
The response was swift and widespread. According to The Wall Street Journal, armed men set up roadblocks and burned vehicles across parts of Mexico, sending thick smoke into the air, including in the resort city of Puerto Vallarta.
Mexican officials said cartel operatives erected at least 85 roadblocks and carried out multiple assaults on security personnel. The unrest left more than 25 members of the security forces and one civilian dead. Authorities added that over 30 suspected cartel members were killed in counter-operations, while 70 were taken into custody.
Tourists caught in violence, flights suspended
In Puerto Vallarta, a major Pacific tourist destination, visitors described scenes of panic.
Fox News reported that several American tourists “unexpectedly found themselves in the middle of a violent cartel retaliation.”
The US State Department said it has been receiving “hundreds” of calls from American citizens stuck in Mexico since Sunday. A round-the-clock emergency hotline was activated after airlines halted flights to Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara.
In a security alert, US authorities said “more areas of Mexico have returned to normal”. They, however, advised citizens in Guadalajara, Puerto Vallarta, and Ciudad Guzman to continue sheltering in place and confirm flight schedules before heading to airports.
“Confirm that your flight is on track for departure from Guadalajara or Puerto Vallarta before you depart for the airport.”
Succession fears within CJNG
On Monday, President Claudia Sheinbaum said that “virtually all activity has been restored,” though some services remained suspended.
Oseguera’s death has raised concerns about a possible power struggle within the CJNG, regarded as one of Mexico’s most powerful criminal organisations with trafficking routes extending into the United States.
Security analysts quoted in US reports cautioned that the cartel chief’s death could trigger a power struggle within the organisation. They flagged Jalisco, which is due to host matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, as a potential flashpoint if rival factions vie for control.
Cartel violence in Mexico has frequently intensified after the arrest or killing of senior leaders, as rival factions compete for control. Despite repeated pledges by successive governments to dismantle organised crime networks, cycles of retaliation continue to grip several regions.